CHAPTER XI. 

 PRUNING AND TRAINING 



THERE are various methods of pruning and training the 

 grape-vine, and each method has had its supporters. Good 

 crops also have been produced by many of them, under 

 skilful hands, and no doubt will continue to be. The fact 

 is, the grape-vine is so productive, and fruits so freely, 

 even with very ordinary treatment, that bad indeed must 

 be the case when it ceases to jield its luscious sweets. 

 Yet while so submissive under ill usage, and grateful, as it 

 were, for a common existence, like other creatures of na- 

 ture's higher organization, its expansive powers will become 

 contracted, and the tractable disposition rendered stubborn, 

 by long continued abuse ; in which case, the quality of the 

 fruit is deteriorated, the bunches are small, or the flavor 

 inferior ; and as pruning has something to do with this, 

 particularly the small bunches, it may be well to explain 

 the different modes that are practised, and state the va- 

 rious results obtained by them. 



Although it is best to allow the grape-vine, like all other 

 fruits, to judiciously and periodically extend the superfi- 

 cial surface of the leaves and branches, our arrangements 

 and conveniences do not always admit of this desirable 

 consummation being carried out. Such being the case, it 

 behooves us, under the circumstances, not to distort nature 

 any more than we can avoid. In accordance with these 

 views, first, is mentioned the plan- we generally adopt. 



Supposing that we have got a cane of the first summer's 

 growth, cut it back, in length according to thickness ; 

 if very strong say six feet, or only middling so, to five, 



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